Roleplay/Partyfinder Discrepancies & Policy Enforcement by GM's

[-Mira-]

(long post sorry!)
So while I think things are somewhat heading to a solution on the RP front?

In my opinion I think RP things in PF are fine as long as they are SFW (or let's say as safe that we don't need to awkwardly explain ourselves to a 13 year old who in this fictional situation stumbled on our chatlog).

Also fine if they don't make many listings for the same event. I get it you want public but really 1 little listing with the address to meet up is enough. While I don't really RP I do feel more for joining their little cafe or restaurant who has a humble kind listing of 1 in the pf over the aggresive 10x (or anything more than 1) spam on the same event.

Now an other thing on PF listings. Yes I know we have fellowships. But I have to be honest I hardly look there and the one little event I did try to make with it in the beginning wasn't seen by people until days after (eventhough I posted it a week before). So I stood alone waiting at the location of the social meet up.
You see I am not much of a Roleplayer (I did dabble a little by visiting a friends restaurant for a Halloween event). I do like a positive way of meeting up via PF.

I can imagine that when Fanfest is going people might also want to have little meet up spots in houses or in a city like at for example Gridania's Mih Khetto for a get to gether and chat while we watch the stream. Or some other watch and gather meet up of a less big event, but a sweet kind of social gathering non the less...

I do feel like PF is a good way to involve people who aren't in the same discord or even fellowship (or social media channels), but who do feel like: Oh hey this sounds like fun, yeah I want to meet up.

An other thing I had been thinking what about if people want to do a language exchange in game. I think MMORPG's can be great schools to learn other languages while having some some social fun along it too. I do think to the person who wishes to learn let's say French could and should be able to make a listing of: LF language exchange friend EN-FR.

In this case I think the party finder is a better place because it assures that the right people are online at the same time. If you have to read about it a week later in a Fellowship only to notice the person who voices their wish is offline because you happen to always catch them at their work hours or something else that makes it hard for both to be online. I mean it is sweet that the wanting to help is there... but fellowship isn't the most direct way in some cases, where as Party Finder fills that spot perfectly.

Yes PF is for running content but I do find that as long as it isn't anything offensive, it should be perfectly fine to be a way find people of a similar social interest.

So how is the stance of the player base and GM's (and/or even higher ups) on that?

[Neoyoshi]

I've wondered were all the Brothels went over the years, is this related to how in-game Brothels aren't openly advertised as much as they used to be? Is this something that we can even talk about?

In Final Fantasy XIV 1.0, there was an actual Brothel or group of girls within the Miners guild that would help workers relax at the end of their work day, but when the A Realm Reborn version launched, it had appeared as though the new Miners Guild leader had kicked all the prostitutes' out onto the street.

I'm just finding it curious if this whole crackdown on virtual brothels within the game world is like the miners-guild equivalent of that same situation.

EDIT: The reason i'm asking or even bringing this up, is because I'm curious as to why use the Party Finder at all? Why can't they advertise openly without the use of the PF?

[kinglyonheart]

There are multiple social platforms to use outside of the party finder and of the game itself - ensuring that those who want to see these advertisements consensually can - while those who shouldn't (minors) are not forcibly/inappropriately subjected to seeing it while looking for a crafter kit, etc.

the problem is there are people that are new to the scene, or just don't want to have to go out of the game, to see if anything is going on, right now, that they can just... go to. myself and people i roleplay with in game do this all the time--open up the PF and see what venues/events are up and we mosey on over to hang out. it's convenient and doesn't require having to know where to look.

also, i really, really don't think tacking an (18+) at the end of a venue ad is forcing unwilling children to view adult content any more than an R or M rating on a box at Walmart is. When you're being outwardly suggestive about "receiving pleasure from courtesans" or what have you that might be seen as pushing it but admittedly that kind of verbiage exists elsewhere in the context of game lore.

no one _forces_ anyone to go to 18+ venues and/or view ERP, at least, not the scale that people think it happens from my understanding and time in the rp scene.

sometimes you just don't want to roleplay with teenagers! and dang, i think that's just fine. saying all 18+ venues are brothels/for erp/etc is like saying any restaurant that doesn't allow children (which exist) is running an illegal brothel out of the back room.

[Kaurhz]

also, i really, really don't think tacking an (18+) at the end of a venue ad is forcing unwilling children to view adult content any more than an R or M rating on a box at Walmart is. When you're being outwardly suggestive about "receiving pleasure from courtesans" or what have you that might be seen as pushing it but admittedly that kind of verbiage exists elsewhere in the context of game lore.

The issue with these is that it is a false equivalency. One on the other hand; M/R ratings are ultimately enforced through the cashier requiring that you provided a license/ID in order to purchase the product. Therefore, there's no further detriment done because that body selling the product ultimately prevents a bad judgment call being made on behalf of the person. However, with the latter you not only need to query the person creating the ad to find out more information, you then have no means of actually enforcing the tag. This completely puts the judgemental call on the person, not of appropriate age or maturity.

I can argue that there's a situation in which this is finicky with a few quests, but then that puts the responsibility on Square Enix. On the other hand, a direct conversation exchange puts that burden on the individuals participating.

[SnowVix]

I've wondered were all the Brothels went over the years, is this related to how in-game Brothels aren't openly advertised as much as they used to be? Is this something that we can even talk about?

In Final Fantasy XIV 1.0, there was an actual Brothel or group of girls within the Miners guild that would help workers relax at the end of their work day, but when the A Realm Reborn version launched, it had appeared as though the new Miners Guild leader had kicked all the prostitutes' out onto the street.

I'm just finding it curious if this whole crackdown on virtual brothels within the game world is like the miners-guild equivalent of that same situation.

EDIT: The reason i'm asking or even bringing this up, is because I'm curious as to why use the Party Finder at all? Why can't they advertise openly without the use of the PF?

so a PF ad in the Other category is incredibly inobtrusive. it's at the bottom of the PF listing in all, and if i'm looking for something specific i switch to whichever tab is holding that thing (Trials for mount farming, High-end for Ult/Savage/current Ex, Raid if i'm feeling saucy and want to do some all-BLU alliance raids), which completely filters out the Other listings (which are primarily RP venue ads, event notifications, random stuff like fishing buddy asks, and the occasional FC ad). to compare it to normal web browsing, it's a banner ad at the top of the article you're reading.

Fellowships, one of the suggested alternatives, just aren't useful. i am in a couple and i forget they exist unless i get a pop up notification of a new poll when i log in.

advertising in shout/yell? that's like getting an interstitial ad while watching a stream. it directly gets in the way (and before suggesting filtering shout/yell, i do a lot of Bozja so i'd have to remember to swap tabs every time and we only get 4 tabs anyway) and is considered to be an annoyance by basically everyone

[Ashemmi]

Apologies - and totally agree. Typically when I see 18+ it has certain "connotations".

Nothing to forgive, I'm glad you understand, and many think exactly like you do.

[DPZ2]

This is a game children play. That’s how it directly affects people. ERP venues shouldn’t exist in a game children can play. Unless you reeeeeeally like lewding children?

I refer you to the ESRB page for FFXIV: https://www.esrb.org/ratings/29479/FINAL+FANTASY+XIV/

Note the warning "Online Interactions Not Rated by the ESRB".

In Europe, the game is rated PEGI 16. In Japan the CERO rating is "C" (age 15).

Teenagers who may encounter the in-game items noted in the ESRB link above are not "children". They'll be the first to tell you that themselves.

I'd really like to know which Party Finder references you consider to be "lewding children". The club announcements that I've seen don't mention ERP at all. (And yes, I have level 80s on Balmung as well as Gilgamesh).

Perhaps you consider the use of "18+" to be lewd?

[kinglyonheart]

Perhaps you consider the use of "18+" to be lewd?

^^^ THIS

all this "think of the children!" ramblings and like.
we are, that's the whole point.

that's why we're trying to have spaces that are intended for adults, out of consideration for the children, so adults can be adults and talk about adult things without children/teens there. adults talking about adult things =/= nasty roleplay brothels 24/7. most of my real life friend circles are adults because we want to be able to talk about adult things if they happen to come up in the course of conversation, and sometimes you just want that same vibe in a game. it's why loads of FCs and other social circles are 18+. i dont want to have to worry if my conversation turns to something potentially inappropriate for children because there are no children.

[linayar]

Jesus Christ, we're here again.

Doing something for free and being charitable about it still devalues the content for a vast majority of people, especially if it essentially results in the person being to 'declare' non-participation whilst still getting rewards. Not against the ToS however.

Ok, so if it's not against the ToS, what about doing it in exchange for in-game gil? Is that against the ToS?

But the topic here is not about people doing things for free, it is about people Selling. Again, don't misrepresent the argument. Giving something away, and selling it are 2 entirely different things, especially with anyone giving it any modicum of thought should be able to deduce the latter is likely to include RMT, and the former more than likely account sharing. Not even sure why you're defending it tbh

Again, I'm not talking about RMT/account sharing, I'm only talking about what the PF advertisement displays. What you are able to deduce from those entries is irrelevant since GMs are not (and should not be) taking actions based on mere deductions.

I'm not defending anything. I'm looking at what a GM allegedly stated and, if they're correct, what it means for PF listings that do not explicitly say there is RMT/account sharing going on. (And on that note, does letting someone else play your character for one fight counts as account sharing?)

[Aldotsk]

It's kind of hard to see a GM with a good reputation and feedbacks past several years (source: google with players leaving feedbacks), to just intentionally attack RP community by stopping RP venues on Party Finder.

Probably there were several reports being sent to GMs about the ERP venues that were just way too inappropriate and the GM decided to stop all of them completely, maybe? But regardless, Crystal Data hasn't so far faced it yet, and yet this Data Center has the largest RP communities than others too.